By D.N. Singh
It is all about counting and the heartbeats in political circles on the rise as the leaders sitting at the waiting lounges waiting for their turn to take off or touch down. Fingers remain crossed everywhere.
Whereas, a seemingly relaxed Prime Minister Narendra Modi unwound his political toxic through meditation at Kedarnath and later reached Badrinath for solace before the final countdown.
Even as the final phase of the polling is almost over, what adds to the climax was the outcome of the exit poll that may attract many agreements and disagreements as well. It is not to deride any survey agency, but an important person of a nationally known survey agency when came to this reporter days before the polls started, then also he had the predisposed logic swaying in favour of the NDA and was found trying to draw a similar picture for Odisha also.
It is not to say that any agency works from a premise of preconception but such purported predisposition often lead to wrong conjectures. Plus the expression of mirth and a sense of euphoria on the possible victory by one party or the other was sometimes bordering on caricature.
Theatrics displayed by new channels
One of the most interesting aspects of the exit poll was the pattern of presentation by the television channels, a fabulous combo of drama, theatrics and aerobic physical gesturing and a few news anchors like swing of hands and even legs.
And what was amusing that in some news channels, it was not only a cacophony made by each speaking over the other, but the lead anchors were seen fleet-footing through the studio, jumping through stairs to douse the fire of the tempestuousness that were deafening at times.
For a while it created an impression as if the electoral battle ground has shifted its real venue to the television studios.
Self-back-patting politics
Pending what May 23 holds in store but this election should go down in the history of this largest democracy for its peculiarities. Amid lowering the standard of language to personal aspersions, it was something very new people witnessed either with pain or a pinch of salt. Voices go louder each party claiming for a by shocking majority.
Race, undeniably, is among all the non-NDA parties and Narendra Modi. For the first time a nation is witnessing a battle fought by all against one individual.
This is not what the poll watchers say but, the Prime Minister himself has created the surprising buzz through a first time slogan ‘abki bar, Modi sarkar’ which demonstrably smacks or oneupmanship politics leaving no room for anyone else to improve.
Imagine the plight of the foot soldiers those who are coerced to sing the same paean at any occasion.
On the other side the scene is somewhat similar. Social media is obsessed with a family leaving others in the notionally created ‘ mahagathbandhan’ as mere fence sitters.
Except the likes of Chandrababu Naidu, nobody can claim to have heard of any such initiative from the Congress as both Priyanka and Rahul had put their entire weight on Uttar Pradesh, a possible game changer after May 23. Which may dither all the efforts by the non-BJP combination to brave the headwinds from the enemy camp.
